A Deafening Silence
by Claidi Winter
Summary: Complete Usagi Chiba has commited suicide. Mamoru convinced that his wife did not take her own life, goes in search of answers with his childhood friend Aishin. First story I ever wrote at age 13 for a creative class in 8th grade.
1. Chapter 1

Hajimimashite, minna-san onamae wa Jennifer, Doozo Yoroshiku.   
(sorry just finished taking japanese and I had to try that out, if anyone e-mail's me with the translation, I'll write a story on any subject they'd like in the SM world ^_-) This story I wrote almost 2 years ago, and I tried posting it then under Haruka and Michiru's Fan Fic Co. on ASMR but only succeded in putting one chapter up before high school preperations caught up with me. However I got a lot of e-amils asking me to put of the rest so here it is. Ja!  
  
A Deafening Scilence  
Chapter 1  
PG 13  
  
  
Mamoru slowly opened his eyes, hoping it was a dream... praying that last night's events were all just some horrible nightmare. That when he looked over at the pillow beside him she would be there, sound asleep, with a smile on her face. He was half inclined to turn his head and see if his prayers were answered, but he knew better.   
  
He got up out of his cold bed and walked over to his dresser. As he bent over to reach for the underwear drawer, a small frame atop the dresser caught his eye. He stood, and with both hands picked up the item as if it would break at the slightest touch. In the picture was himself, standing at the side of a beautiful woman in a wedding gown the color of alabaster.   
  
"Usako..." he sighed, tracing the woman's image. "Usako, I still don't understand it. What happened? We were so happy. Was it me? Was I the reason you..." Suddenly the doorbell rang, and the frame dropped and broke into a million pieces.   
  
"Kuso! Dammit!" Mamoru muttered angrily. "COMING!" he yelled quickly, getting on pair of pants. He stumbled over to the door, and opened it to find Aishin Irojiro, his neighbor and childhood friend, with her head down looking at the basket of flowers in her hands.  
  
"Aishin..." he sighed, surprised to see her, and still a bit shaken from before. "Welcome home. What brings you here so early in the morning?" he asked already knowing her reasons.  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu, good morning Mamoru-kun," she bowed, and when her face came up he noticed a tint of blush in her cheeks. "I'm sorry for coming by so early, but I- I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not being able to make it last night, believe me I wanted to come, but..."   
  
"You couldn't have been there, don't worry about it." He cut her off. "There's no reason to apologize."   
She smiled meekly, but he could see she was holding back some tears.   
  
"I, I brought you these roses," she continued, regaining her composure. "I know they're your favorite kind." Aishin lifted the basket up for him to take, which he did, bowing and thanking her as he did so. An awkward silence fell upon them, and they both shifted nervously.  
  
"Do you want some coffee?" Mamoru finally asked, breaking the uncomfortable moment  
  
"Makoto-san gave me some of her special blend fresh from the store."   
She bit her lower lip. "Sure." Aishin followed him inside and took a seat after removing her shoes.  
  
"I'll be back in just a minute, I just have to get the machine started." Mamoru called from inside the kitchen.   
  
As Mamoru started to brew the coffee he ran a hand through his hair, thinking about his Usako. Her smell, how the house was starting to lose it. Her touch, how he missed it. Her voice, how he could still hear her singing in his ear at night. But most of all, he thought of that evening: the last time he held her in his arms.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'm home, Usa! Mmm, whatever you're cooking smells good." Mamoru hung up his coat. But all he heard was the music playing on the stereo. "Usa?" he called teasingly. He knew what she was planning. The music that he heard was the CD she played when they made love.   
  
"Usako? Kanojo doko ni imasuka? Where is she?" He asked, again teasingly. He turned the corner to go into the living room.   
  
"Kanojo do-" he stopped dead in his tracks. Lying before him lay... NO! It couldn't be! His mind screamed at him that this was impossible. For there before him lay a trail of blood. His heart quickened, as did his pace. The trail went into their bedroom. When he reached the door, he ran to their bed. His Usako lay with a thousand cuts all over her naked body, and a knife in her hand.   
  
He bent over and picked her up, kissing her head and stroking her hair. He put his ear to her heart and heard a distant, dying beat.   
  
"No..." he whispered. "Usako hold on! If you can hear me, just hold on! I'm going to get help!" He kissed her forehead as he lay her down on the bed and went to get the phone, but rushed back to her side when he heard her call out.   
"NO! Mamo-chan! Watashi wa koko de! I'm here! Come back, don't leave me please!"   
  
"Usako, love, hold on." He whispered.  
  
"Mamo-chan I love you... Just hold me."   
  
He did as she asked, tears in his eyes. He spoke, choking on his words. "If you just let me go for one second I can, I can get help love, just-" She put a shaking finger to his mouth.  
  
"Shh, love just listen, it's not as it seems...it's not...I love you, Mamo-chan."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Aishin waited patiently in the living room, wringing her hands nervously. She felt guilty coming into Mamoru's apartment, considering the way she felt about him. Her eyes glanced around what she could see of the apartment from her place on the floor. She marveled how neat it was.   
Everything was placed perfectly. It made her wonder what his bedroom was like... 'Aishin, you stupid girl,' she chided herself, 'how dare you think that way! You should be ashamed of yourself! Your very presence must be angering Usagi-san to no end!' However, her scolding was interrupted by a crash coming from the kitchen. She got up and started to walk cautiously over to the adjacent room.   
  
"Mamoru-kun? Are you OK?" she peeked around the corner to see Mamoru crouching down on the floor in a fetal position, with shards of the coffee machine surrounding him.  
  
"OH! Mamoru-kun!" she said, running to his side, "Mamoru-kun, are you hurt? Here, let me see your face."   
  
He turned his tear stained face up to her. "Usako... come back," he cried, not to Aishin, but rather to the wall, as if it held his Usako's soul and at the command would release her.   
  
"USA! NO!" He rose and began to bang furiously on the wall "USAKO COME BACK RIGHT NOW! GIVE HER BACK! GIVE HER BACK! I COMMAND YOU TO! USAKO... USAKO... USAKO... Usako." he sank to his knees again, dragging his hand down the wall.   
  
Aishin stood behind him with her fisted hand placed upon her heart, the other hanging loose at her side. Silent tears fell down her face as she forced herself to stay put and not bang on the wall as well. She couldn't help but wonder how many times had this scene occurred in the past two weeks.   
  
"Usako, how dare you leave me? How dare you! Usako, I still don't get it. We were about to buy another house, I had just gotten my raise and you... you were pregnant. AND YET I FIND YOU ON OUR BED WITH OUR SONG PLAYING, AND A THOUSAND CUTS ALL OVER YOUR BODY, AND THE BIGGEST, DEEPEST, SLASH EMBEDDED IN YOUR STOMACH, KILLING OUR BABY. OUR BABY... our baby. Oh baby, come back." He was standing again, fists pressed against the wall.   
  
After taking a few deep breaths, Mamoru, remembering himself, regained his composure and turned to face a now sobbing Aishin. He swallowed guiltily, and ran a hand through his hair, as was often his custom. He took a step towards his dear friend, stopped, and dropped his head in shame.   
  
"I apologize, Ai-chan, I should have thought before I acted." He took a few more steps towards her. "Can I get you anything? Do you want to leave? Again I apologize, I can't be more sorry."   
  
This time it was Aishin who stepped forward. She flung herself at Mamoru, embracing him tightly. He was startled at first, but then he wrapped his strong arms around her tall, slim figure. He opened his mouth to apologize again, but she spoke fist.   
  
"Mamoru-kun, you have no reason to be sorry. You have done nothing wrong. If anyone should be sorry it's me. I should have been more considerate and not come in. But oh, Mamoru!" she lifted her head up to touch his face with her hand. "I had no idea she was pregnant." She burst into another fit of tears as he tried to soothe her.   
  
"It just doesn't make any sense! Usa had no reason to do what she did. NONE! And to kill the baby first, and deliberately! She, she wanted a baby so badly! She would never do this!"   
  
Aishin stopped her tears once more, and looked up at him, confused and horrified. "What you are implying?"   
  
Mamoru looked her square in the face. "Usako did NOT commit suicide. She was murdered."   
  
Aishin gasped and backed away from him. "Mamoru-kun, that's impossible! You KNOW the only fingerprints on that knife were Usagi-chan's! The only fingerprints on her body were her own! Usagi's death was a clear suicide!" She hated being so blunt, but she hating seeing Mamoru in what she thought to be denial, even more.   
  
Mamoru raised an eyebrow and said coolly, "I am going to conduct a second search, and a third search, and if I must a fourth. I will conduct every God damn search necessary until they find SOMETHING that leads to a murder." Aishin stood in the corner, her lower lip trembling, shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
"My wife was murdered, and I am going to not only prove the what, I am going to find out the why, and the who." 


	2. Chapter 2

Hey Ya'll, here's Chapter 2 (Gomen, I'm not one for much notes)  
  
A Deafening Scilence   
Chapter 2   
PG 13  
  
"We're sorry Chiba-san, but for the last time, your  
wife's death was a clear cut suicide. NOT a murder! Dr.  
Kyoki himself signed the death certificate!" It was two days  
after his break down and Mamoru was still very tense. He had  
indeed called the police and had two more searches conducted  
just as he said he would, but neither produced anything new  
and Mamoru was starting to think they weren't really even  
trying.  
  
After the last comment, Mamoru whirled around to face  
his opposer, who at the moment was standing side by side  
with his best friend. "Who is this 'Kyoki'? I want to meet  
him!" Mamoru demanded.  
  
The officer shuddered a bit. There was something in the man's eyes. He didn't know what it was about him, but it was  
something powerful. This guy wanted some serious answers.  
  
He dabbed his forehead with a cloth. He was going to snap, he   
knew it, he had to get out of there before...  
  
Aishin walked over to Mamoru and put her hand on his  
shoulder. "Mamoru-kun... Kyoki is just the doctor. Maybe you  
should give this up."  
  
Just then there was a knock at the door. Mamoru gave the  
officer a sharp glance, then went to answer it. When the  
door was opened, a man in an Osaka City police uniform  
stomped in, pointing to the Tokyo City officer. He spoke  
loudly and clearly.  
  
"Chiba-san, don't believe this man! Everything he's saying  
is a lie!" He turned to face Mamoru, who was behind him,  
"You were right. Usagi-san did NOT commit suicide! In fact  
that wasn't even-" But he was cut short. Aishin screamed.  
The Tokyo officer was holding the Osaka officer at gunpoint.  
  
Mamoru put his hands up and froze. "Sir, if you could, please  
put the gun down." The officer was sweating. He pressed the  
gun closer to the other man's head, looking nervously at  
Mamoru. "You know this man?"  
  
Mamoru stepped forward, his hands still up. "Yes, I do. I  
hired him. He's from Osaka, my wife's birthplace. Sir, I'm  
sure we can all cooperate better if there isn't someone's  
life at stake." He walked slowly towards the officer and put  
his hand on the gun, lowering it towards the floor.  
  
The man was crying as he looked up at Mamoru, his eyes  
pleading. "Help me..." he choked out. Suddenly he grabbed  
his head and ran out the door screaming.  
  
The Osaka officer, whose name was Tenchi, let out a loud  
sigh, shook his head and blinked his eyes a few times.  
Mamoru patted him on the back and helped him stand up.  
  
"Ai-chan, are you O.K.?" he asked Aishin, who nodded her  
head, lying of course; a man could have just been killed!  
But she didn't want to seem weak in front of Mamoru.  
  
Mamoru sighed, amazing at her composure for he himself was  
shaking considerably. "Yokata, I'm glad."  
  
She looked over to the shaken detective, and smiled sweetly,  
"Can I get you anything?"  
  
He looked up at her and couldn't help but give a small smile  
in return. "Just a glass of water. Please?"  
  
Aishin nodded again and disappeared into the kitchen. Mamoru  
gestured for Tenchi to take a seat on the couch, which he  
did.  
Aishin reappeared with the water, and she and Mamoru took  
seats on opposite sides of the officer.  
"You gonna be O.K.?" Mamoru asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine," he said shaking his head trying to  
clear it. "We have more important business to worry about.  
As I was saying, you were right, Usagi didn't commit  
suicide. That-" He paused, looking first to Aishin then to  
Mamoru. "Are you ready for this?"  
  
Mamoru nodded. Tenchi took a deep breath, then continued. "I  
don't know how it's possible, but that wasn't Usagi." There  
was a silence.  
"What do you mean, 'that wasn't Usagi?' WHAT wasn't Usagi?!"  
Mamoru yelled. Tenchi sighed.  
  
"The body in the coffin at the wake, that wasn't Usagi. I  
should also mention that the body was never examined in the  
first place. Obviously, if they had examined it they would  
have found that it was just a clone, not a real human being.  
  
"I know you must have a million questions, but unfortunately  
I can't give answers. I have said all I was sent to say.  
Mission complete."   
Tenchi stood and backed away from the couch. Mamoru gave a  
questioning glance to Aishin, who shrugged, just as confused  
by the man's strange behavior as Mamoru. The latter stood  
cautiously, asking, "Tenchi-san, daijobu? Are you all  
right?" He walked over to the man, who was standing as still  
as a statue.  
  
Tenchi turned suddenly to face Mamoru, but as he did so,  
Mamoru gasped, taking a few steps backward, for there in the  
detective's eyes was the exact same pleading look that had  
been in the Tokyo officer's eyes right before he ran  
screaming out the door.  
  
"Help me." Tenchi choked out. He stood, all of his body  
frozen in place with the exception of his head, which jerked  
back and forth from Aishin to Mamoru.  
  
"Mamoru-kun?" Aishin asked, a bit high pitched, as she  
grabbed on to his arm.  
  
"Stay back!" he ordered her, as she let out a gasp.  
  
Tenchi's eyes were just about bursting out of his skull, and  
the individual veins started to bulge out of his face.  
Aishin stood petrified, clinging to Mamoru's arm so tightly  
she almost cut off his circulation.  
  
"HELP ME!" the detective screamed again, with the same agony  
as the officer before, and like his predecessor he too  
grabbed his head screaming, falling to his knees. He tried  
to speak but the pain--if you could call it by such a simple  
name-- in his temples only grew. Finally he screamed one  
last bitter and piercing cry as Mamoru and Aishin looked on  
in horror, not knowing in the least what in the world was  
going on or what to do. Then, right there in Chiba Mamoru's  
living room, Tenchi drew one last breath, grew still, and  
just as suddenly as he had come through the door, he  
disappeared into thin air. 


	3. Chapter 3

A Deafening Scilence  
Chapter 3  
PG 13  
  
The young woman held her eyes tightly shut, hoping it was a dream... praying that last night's events were all just some horrible nightmare. That when she opened her eyes she would be in her warm bed with her beloved sleeping peacefully beside her. She was half inclined to open her eyes to see if her prayers were answered, but she knew better. She knew what she would find were she to open them.   
  
She would find him: the most psychotic man who ever lived. She had had no idea someone so cruel, so insane, so evil was even alive. True, there was evil in the world but not this kind of evil. This evil was the kind you find in fairytale stories or those science fiction books her husband loved to read.  
  
"I always found those books to be quite dull. You know, the more I find out about your husband, the more I loathe him."   
  
He was always there; always watching her, studying her was more like it. This was torture. No, this was not torture; her job at times, was torture. This was hell.  
  
"I'm glad you like it," he snickered. "You see my darling Usako, you keep forgetting that I can read my mind. I can also read yours. I can also read your child's mind, what there is of it. But my mind is the easiest to read, seeing how it's mine. No Da, you know?" He let out one of his usual insane cackles as the woman shouted at him in her head.   
  
Only Mamo-chan can call me Usako!   
  
At this the mad man's laughter became screams. "Blast! Keep it down Usako! You'll wake the child."  
  
She's alive?! Where is she? I know you took her out of me yesterday night! TELL ME WHERE MY CHILD IS!   
  
The woman, or rather, Usagi, burst into tears as the crazy man restarted his sadistic laughter.   
  
She was in hell! She was! It had been three weeks since she had been stolen away from her beautiful life with the man she loved, and placed in this purgatory.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi hummed happily as she chopped greens and broiled shrimp. She was making Mamoru's favorite dish, tempura with a negimaki appetizer, in honor of his promotion. She had a couple of other surprises planned. She could not wait to see Mamoru's face when she told him the news about their pregnancy, and could not help thinking about what was to happen afterwards. At this she blushed and giggled. The twenty-six year old woman felt as she had on their wedding night.  
  
She walked over to the stereo and put in the CD that had their song on it. She glanced up at the clock and gasped. Mamoru would be home in half an hour! She ran into their bedroom and undid the bun atop her head, letting her ebony hair fall down and frame her jade-white face. Then, after adding a little blush and mascara, she undressed and walked over to the closet, searching for her lingerie. Suddenly she felt two strong arms grasp her waist. She gasped, but then giggled, thinking it was her husband.  
  
"Oh Mamo-chan, you bad boy, you ruined your..." she felt something cool and sharp being dragged across her stomach. She looked down at the knife then at the left hand of the holder. There was no ring on it.   
  
"Odoroki, surprise," the man whispered.  
  
  
  
Usagi felt pain. Extreme pain. Pain beyond all pain. Why was she awake? A noise. There! She heard it again! Could it be? It was! It was her Mamo-chan! What was he saying? She strained to hear.   
  
"Usako? Kanojo doko ni imasu ka?"   
He was calling for her! She tried to rise, which was a mistake. She collapsed again on to... her bed? She tried to sort it out but it hurt too much to think about anything besides the pain. Suddenly she felt a pair of arms around her again. Different arms. Mamo-chan arms.   
  
Now what was he saying? She felt him kiss her forehead, then he was gone and she was cold. Scared, shocked, and thinking he had gone because she didn't answer his first question, she called out.  
  
"NO! Mamo-chan! Watashi wa koko de, I'm here! Come back, don't leave me please!" Ah, there he was back.   
  
"Usako, my love, hold on." he whispered.  
  
"Mamo-chan, I love you... just hold me."   
  
He did as she asked, tears in his eyes. 'Mamo-chan, don't cry,' she thought.   
"If you just let me go for one second I can, I can get help love, just-" She put a finger to his mouth. She knew somehow that she wasn't going to see him again for a long time. No, she wasn't going to die, she couldn't, and she loved her baby too much, both of them: her baby girl and her baby husband. No, not die, just sleep, but before she slept she had to tell him she wasn't going to die. If she didn't, he would worry.  
  
"Shh, love just listen, it's not as it seems...it's not...I love you Mamo-chan."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi slept all right, she slept as if dead. When she awoke she found herself entirely healed, but imprisoned. She was floating vertically in a glass case filled with water. She had electrodes and tubes of all shapes and sizes attached to her body, but there was no oxygen mask on her face. Nothing whatsoever to help her breathe and yet miraculously, she could--as if she was in air.   
Three weeks in hell, with an insane scientist who could read her every thought. The only thing keeping her mentally alive was the fantasy that her husband would find and rescue her. A fantasy that Dr. Kyoki assured her would never come true. 


	4. Chapter 4

A Deafening Scilence  
Chapter4  
PG 13  
  
"Oh, Amaterasu*." Mamoru gasped. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately.   
  
Aishin screamed and nearly fainted, but Mamoru caught her. With his support she got back on her feet.  
  
"Mamoru-kun. What was that?" Mamoru knelt down and picked up something lying on the spot where Tenchi had just disappeared.   
"Careful Mamoru-kun! It might be dangerous." Aishin warned.   
Mamoru chuckled at her word of caution. "Ai, come on, I appreciate your concern, but I'm twenty-eight, I can take care of myself." Turning back to the curio, he thought out loud. "This thing looks almost like a pair of headphones." Just at that moment the object stared to move. It jumped out of Mamoru's hands and rapidly started to crawl up his arm and on to his shoulders.   
Aishin picked up her purse and smacked the thing off of Mamoru's shoulders and on to the ground. When it continued to move, she stomped on it with her high-heeled shoe until it stopped moving.   
  
  
(*Amaterasu is the sun goddess of the Shinto religion. Japan's emperors are said to be descendants of this goddess.)  
  
  
Mamoru got up and brushed himself off. He picked up the   
crushed bits of the thing and walked over to the desk where his  
microscope was located.  
  
"Arigato, thank you Ai-chan, whatever that was I don't think it wanted to be friends." He flashed her one of his gorgeous heart-stopping smiles, and sat down to study the thing that had just attacked him.  
  
"Note to self: Never mess with Aishin when she is wearing her red heels," Mamoru said under his voice.  
  
Aishin, who was now sitting on the couch, glanced over at him. "What was that, Chiba Mamoru?"   
  
"Noth-ing," he said in a singsong voice. She walked over to him and smacked his back with her purse, this time in playfulness, but he just laughed and returned to his work.   
  
Aishin was glad to see Mamoru laugh again. He hadn't laughed the whole time she was back from her business trip to America. She blushed, knowing that the reason he had made that joke was to help get her mind off of the horrifying thing that had just happened to the officer.  
  
She didn't deserve him. But that didn't make her desire any less. She had loved him since they were in their teens. He had loved her too, and still did, but not the way she wanted.   
  
She sat back down on the couch and watched Mamoru as he worked. 'Always the scientist,' she mused. It was just another thing she loved about him, but she frowned and looked down at the floor. His heart would always be with another woman. Whether that woman be dead or alive, she would always hold his heart. That woman was Usagi.   
  
Aishin leaned her head back, recalling a distant memory of the first time she saw the woman who had stolen Mamoru's heart, never to return it.   
  
One day Aishin was in the hospital with pneumonia and Mamoru came to visit. She was just fourteen at the time and Mamoru was seventeen. He gave her a bouquet of roses and he stayed with her the whole day. Then, just before he left, her told her with mock sternness that she 'better get better or else'. With that he kissed her on the lips and walked out the door. Aishin felt closer to Mamoru then than she had ever felt towards anyone, ever.   
  
One week later when she got out of the hospital she went to surprise Mamoru after school. She spotted his car, and waited on a bench for him to come out. She had waited for about ten minutes when Mamoru finally emerged from the school doors. Aishin ran up to meet him, but stopped in her tracks. Mamoru was with another girl, and a very pretty one at that. He and the girl walked down to his car, both laughing and talking. At that moment Aishin's heart sank as she watched Mamoru kiss the girl deeply.  
  
It wasn't the same kiss he gave her. That one was light and quick. This kiss was a serious one. It was what she had heard some of the older girls in her school call french kissing.   
  
When they finally broke apart, the girl blushed and said something to which Mamoru nodded. She then ran off into the building next to the school. Aishin's eyes filled up with tears as she ran down the block.   
  
She came to know the girl Mamoru kissed that day quite well. After a few years they became very good friends, and eight years later Aishin was the maid of honor at the girl's, now woman's, wedding to Mamoru.  
  
"Ai-chan! Hey, Ai-chan!" Mamoru called her, snapping her out of her reverie.  
"Hmm?" she asked drowsily. "What is it, Mamoru-kun?"   
  
"Come over here. I've found something." She wearily pulled herself up and walked over to his desk. He looked up at her, and then back at the thing that had held his attention for the last half-hour. He took a deep breath and began to talk slowly.  
  
"I found out what this thing was used for. You see, what happens is this thing crawls up your shoulder, like it did mine. It then proceeds to enter your ear and go inside of your head. Once inside your head, these things here," he indicated two small curved microphone shaped pieces, "latch on to a side of your head, controlling your mind."   
  
Aishin looked nauseous.  
  
"How did you find this out?" she asked, half not wanting to hear the answer. Mamoru kept his eyes on it.  
  
"I don't know," he said, confused himself. "I honestly don't know. But I will tell you one thing; I'm going to get to the bottom of this myself. No more police, no more detectives, just me. I have a feeling that whoever, or whatever killed Usako is beyond what the law can handle."   
  
Aishin looked down at him and smiled. "I'll help you."   
  
Mamoru bunched up his eyebrows and turned his head to look at her. "You will?"  
  
"Yes. I trust you. I know that you need to do this."   
  
He relaxed his face and smiled. "Thanks Ai-chan, you're the best friend I could have."  
  
Aishin opened her mouth to protest, but then closed her eyes, shook her head, and smiled as well. "You too, Mamo-kun, you too." 


	5. Chapter 5

A Deafening Scilence  
Chapter 5  
PG 13  
  
"Guess what we're going to do today, my little guinea pig?" Dr. Kyoki inquired of Chiba Usagi, who he had just woken up from a not-so-peaceful sleep.   
  
Usagi wearily opened her eyes, something she had come to hate doing.   
  
He actually expects me to guess. He really is... Usagi stopped her thought.   
  
It was a hard task, but Usagi had gotten used to it. You just can't think everything you want when you are in the presence of a mind-reading psychopath.   
  
"I really am what?" Dr. Kyoki asked excitedly.  
  
...a genius? She thought hopefully.   
  
It seemed to work, for the man clapped his hands excitedly. "Yes, I know! I am a genius. I am the best scientist in the whole wide world! Now our little experiment for today will be to see if I can get your unborn child back into your womb! Won't this be fun!" He looked down at his keyboard and started to type furiously.   
  
Dr. Kyoki was an odd-looking man, and would have been handsome if he didn't always have an almost desperate and insane look in his eyes. Originally he had black hair like any other Japanese man, but it had turned white, Usagi could only guess it was related to his insanity.   
  
His eyes were white to match his hair; however this was his own doing. He was so deathly pale and thin that sometimes Usagi wondered if he ate at all.   
  
You're going to what?! Usagi exclaimed. That will kill her, if by some miracle she's not already dead!   
  
"It MIGHT kill her, and she is still alive." he corrected her. Kyoki had little patience for any more interruptions, so he turned a knob that tightened the cords enveloping Usagi's body to a painful degree. She screamed, but he ignored it.  
  
He stopped typing, and suddenly a hole opened in the ceiling and a glass bubble descended. Inside the bubble was Usagi's baby.  
  
"This bubble serves as a womb to your child. It must feel lucky, it's the first one to survive the transmission. Let's see if it survives on the way back."   
  
I think I'm going to be sick.   
  
Kyoki was soon at work, but he chattered on as he did so. "You are a very interesting subject, and so beautiful. That's why I chose you. You seemed strong, confident, not to mention incredibly sexy. I thought you might last longer than any of the others, and you have. They didn't make it through the first two days, and here you are one week later!   
  
"Oh, but the fun part is watching your husband fret over finding your murderer. I find it quite enjoyable, confusing him with first the Tokyo officer then the Osaka detective. He doesn't know which to believe, or even if any of it is true at all! He studied my probe, the one I placed in that detective, and he knows that he's dealing with a more complicated power, I've got to say I'm impressed. But guess what? He'll never find this lab. NEVER! No one will." He paused for a moment, then continued.   
  
"Oh yes, I have a question to ask you: who is that girl he is always with? You know, the one who has dyed red hair? I believe Aishin is her name." Usagi's eyes widened.  
  
You leave her alone! She yelled.   
  
The scientist smiled.  
  
"Now, who's reading whose mind? I was just thinking I'd use her for my next subject. She seems very interesting. It would be fun finding out what makes her tick."  
  
You really do fit your namesake, Kyoki! INSANITY!   
  
"Ouch. Now don't you think that's a bit-! Oh, this is wonderful!" The scientist cut himself off with excitement.  
  
"The child actually survived! It must be in your genes."  
  
You mean she's back? Usagi thought. She looked down and touched her stomach with her hands. Sure enough there was a slight bulge there, but something was wrong. Babies don't make that big a bulge in the first trimester.   
  
She looked up at him, horrified.   
  
Not reading her thoughts at the moment, but sensing her agitated state, Dr. Kyoki checked the baby's stats to see what could be wrong. Then he saw.  
  
"Oh yes, I forgot to mention that it's no longer in its first trimester, it's now in the second month of its second. I guess I'll have to work on that, huh?" He spoke of it as if it were just some project he was working on and not a human life!   
  
Usagi clenched her fist and shouted,   
  
MY HUSBAND IS GOING TO FIND ME, AND WHEN HE DOES HE IS GOING TO BE VERY ANGRY, AND HE'LL BLOW YOUR COVER ON ALL OF YOUR OPERATIONS! YOU JUST WAIT AND SEE! I SWEAR BY AMATERASU YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS, DR. KYOKI! I SWEAR IT!  
  
Kyoki went paler than ever. What Usagi said had truly frightened him.   
Everyone has a worst fear. The thought of someone finding his lab and revealing all of his genius thoughts and ideas was Dr. Kyoki's.   
  
He stood very still staring at the enraged Usagi Chiba, and then suddenly, it hit him! His most genius idea ever! His lips curved into a smile as he started to type again, pausing every once in a while to glance up at his beautiful prisoner.   
  
"I know what you're thinking, literally. You're thinking what in the world is HE thinking? Well I'll tell you, darling Usako. In this envelope," he said holding it up for her to see, "is a letter, and this is what it reads:  
  
Dear Chiba Mamoru-san,  
  
Congratulations! You are correct in saying that your wife's suicide wasn't a suicide at all, but homicide.   
  
Now we can move on to round two: finding out who done it! If you want this long-awaited information, then come to the Nobiyuki Science Centre with your friend Irojiro Aishin.   
  
You should know where that is, because you work there! Now, once you're there, go into room 505. Inside you will find a closet to your right. Go in, and in the back left corner you will find a small red button. Push it, and Tada!  
  
P.S. I suggest you bring a flashlight to search for the button. Happy hunting!  
  
P.P.S. If you don't come by February 7, 2001, then your invitation will be invalid, and I assure you, you will never know the identity of your wife's murderer.   
  
  
Sincerely Yours,  
Dr. Kyoki Teigino   
  
  
"What do you think? Do think he'll come? I sure hope he does, and I hope he brings the girl. That would be so much fun."  
  
I think you're insane. What exactly do you plan to do if they come?   
  
He chuckled. "You will have to wait and see just like everyone else." 


	6. Chapter 6

A Deafening Scilence  
Chapter 6  
PG 13  
  
Aishin glanced outside her apartment building window.  
  
It was raining harder than it had in years. The gloomy weather seemed to match her gloomy mood.   
  
She got up, and taking a sip of her tea, looked at the calendar. February 7, it had been a month and a half since Usagi's suicide, or homicide, or whatever it was.   
  
Usagi-chan was dead and nothing could change that. But was she? How could they know for sure if the body that was in the coffin the night before Aishin came back wasn't Usagi's? They didn't even know if what Detective Tenchi said was true.  
  
"Oh, Mamo-kun," she said to the picture frame on top of her table. "I can only imagine the pain you're going through. I loved Usagi like a sister, and I miss her, but it wouldn't be the same if I lost you. I love you so much. I'd die just so that you would be happy. I'd sign my soul away to the Dark Land so that you would live. I love you."   
  
With this Aishin bent over and kissed the picture. Then there was a knock at the door. Aishin wearily walked over to answer it, to reveal the object of her affection standing there with a piece of paper in his hand.  
  
"I think you should read this."  
  
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Aishin exclaimed after finishing the letter from Dr. Kyoki.   
  
Mamoru ran a hand through his hair, his trademark.  
  
"Are you sure that it's wise to just go rushing in? For all we know it could be a trap!"  
  
Aishin cocked her eyebrow teasingly.  
  
"A trap? Come on, you're talking like one of the superheroes in an anime!"  
  
"Well, how about this letter, huh? A little red button in the corner of a closet in room 505?"  
  
"It sounds crazy, but look, he himself must be a bit nuts. I mean, he knows where you work."  
  
"I know!" Mamoru yelled, frustrated. "Look, I don't want to put you in any danger!" He reached across the table and took both her hands in his.   
  
"I don't want to lose you too. I love you Aishin. You've always been the little sister I never had. If you died because of a poor choice of mine, I don't think I could bear it." Aishin caressed his hand and kissed it.  
  
"It's okay Mamo-kun, don't worry about me. I'll be fine as long as you are. Now look, if we're going to do this we must do it now. This letter expires, whatever that means, today! So are you with me?"   
  
He looked into her coal black eyes and saw his reflection in them, just as she saw hers in his.   
  
"All right." he whispered.   
  
Aishin smiled. "I'll get my coat."   
  
As she did so, Mamoru glanced over the letter and down to the name. 'Kyoki Teigino.' he thought. 'That name sounds so familiar...'   
  
  
"We're sorry, Chiba-san, but for the last time your wife's death was a clear-cut suicide. NOT a murder! Dr. Kyoki himself signed the death certificate!"  
  
  
"Who is this 'Kyoki'? I want to meet him."  
  
"Mamoru-kun... Kyoki is just the doctor..."  
  
"Of course!" Mamoru banged the table with his fist. "Ai-chan! Ai-chan! Remember? Kyoki was the guy that the officer said signed the death certificate!"   
  
"Oh Amaterasu, you're right!" Aishin exclaimed. She thought for a moment before grabbing his arm,   
  
"Well then, there's no going back now! COME ON!"   
  
Mamoru nodded and ran out the door after her. 


	7. Chapter 7

A Deafening Scilence   
Chapter 7  
PG 13  
  
Dr. Kyoki looked up at the little red blinking light on the ceiling, then back to Usagi, who had her hands pressed against her glass prison with a worried expression on her face.  
  
"They're here," he said, typing on his computer once more. He stopped, and a TV screen popped up in front of Usagi. On it were Aishin and Mamoru walking down a hallway that led to Kyoki's lab. At the sight of her best friend and her beloved, Usagi's eyes swelled with tears.   
  
What are you going to do with us? she asked.  
  
"You will see, my precious."  
  
A very wet and very bewildered Aishin and Mamoru arrived at last at the end of the hallway, where a tall stone door awaited them.   
Mamoru looked down at Aishin, who was a good foot shorter than he.   
"Ready?"   
  
Aishin nodded. He took her hand, and with the other reached out to knock on the door, but before he could touch it, it opened. There before Mamoru lay the most fascinating lab he had ever seen in his career as a scientist.   
  
"Wow." Aishin breathed. Mamoru looked up and down, right and left; everywhere he looked, he saw some new and fascinating object, but there was something seriously wrong about the place and both he and Aishin could sense it.  
  
"This must be the work of a twisted mind," said Aishin, pointing to a row of unborn fetuses all in glass bubbles.   
Suddenly they heard a booming voice that came out of nowhere and surrounded them.  
  
"HELLO! AND WELCOME TO MY NOT SO HUMBLE KINGDOM! IF YOU LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD I AM SURE YOU WILL SEE SOMETHING THAT WILL INTEREST BOTH OF YOU."   
  
They did as the voice said, and watched as a black wall turned slowly around. Soon before them was the glass case that held both Aishin's other best friend and Mamoru's wife.  
  
"USAKO!" he cried, letting go of Aishin's hand and running forward, but he was immediately repelled and he fell to ground.  
  
"OH! Mamo-kun!" Aishin knelt down beside him and helped him stand. "Are you all right? What happened?" Mamoru rubbed his head in pain.  
  
"I don't know. It seems as though there is some sort of force prohibiting me from going any closer."   
  
The voice was back. It laughed sadistically. "TELL HIM WHAT HE'S WON JOHNNY! THAT'S RIGHT! VERY GOOD! I'M IMPRESSED. LOVER BOY GOT IT RIGHT! NO ONE CAN PENETRATE THIS FORCE FIELD!"  
  
What have you done? Is he all right? Tell me! What are you going to do?  
  
"USAKO HERE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NOW THAT I HAVE YOU ALL HERE. WELL, SHE'S BEEN SUCH A GOOD GUINEA PIG THAT I'LL TELL YOU. YOU SEE, NOW THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE SEEN WHAT WONDERS LIE HERE, YOU ALL MUST BE TERMINATED. I CAN'T HAVE SOMEONE ELSE USING MY IDEAS, NOW CAN I?"  
  
"WHAT?" they all exclaimed in unison.   
  
Mamoru fell onto his knees. "Please! Whoever you are! Don't harm Usako and Ai-chan! Take me instead! Please! Just don't harm them!  
  
"HMMM." Kyoki mussed. "I LIKE YOUR SPIRIT. TELL YOU WHAT. IF YOU CAN REPLACE USAKO HERE WITH A WOMAN EQUAL IN BEAUTY, I WILL SPARE YOU."   
  
Mamoru's face fell and he placed his face in his hands and wept.  
  
Aishin bit her lip. She knew what had to happen. As she said, she would die so that Mamoru would be happy. She loved him, and she knew he would be happier with Usagi. Not to mention that there was a child's life at stake; Mamoru's child. She took a step forward.  
  
  
"Hey! Hey! Mamoru-kun! Wait! Wait for me! Mamoru-kun! UMPH... WAAAAA!"  
  
"Oh, Ai-chan! Ai-chan I'm sorry, I was just playin' around, are you OK?"   
  
"HA HA! Gotcha! Catch me if you can!"  
  
"WHY YOU LITTLE...!"  
  
  
She took another step.  
  
  
"Mamo-kun! I made a picture for you in art class today! You wanna see it?"  
  
"Sure, uh, who are those people?"  
  
"See, that's you and that's me, and that is Mako-chan, and that is Mina-chan."  
  
"Why am I in gold, and the others in silver?"  
  
"Because you are my bestest friend in the whole wide world!"  
  
"Thanks, Ai-chan, it's really pretty."  
  
"Mamo-kun?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Am I your bestest friend too?"  
  
"Of course, Ai-chan."  
  
  
  
She took one more step.  
  
  
  
"Mamoru-kun! What's wrong? Why are you crying? This is your wedding day! You should be happy!"  
  
"I am happy Ai-chan. It's just that... you've been the best friend I could ever have. You've done so much for Usako and me, and for this wedding. Just promise me one thing."  
  
"Anything, Mamoru-kun."  
  
"Promise me that you'll keep on being the sister you've always been. Promise that we'll still talk and hang out and have fun."  
  
"I promise."  
  
"Thank you so much, Ai-chan. I love you."  
  
"I love you too... Mamoru-kun."  
  
  
She stopped in front of the force field. "I will go."   
  
Mamoru looked up and got to his feet, running over to her and grasping her tightly.  
  
"Irojiro Aishin! What the hell do you think you're doing? I won't-" but she kissed him deeply, cutting him off. When she pulled away he looked at her, confused, but his eyes pleading.  
  
"I love you, Chiba Mamoru. I always will."   
  
"Ai-chan..." She put her finger to his mouth. Then before he could protest she faced the invisible dome, and looked into Usagi's eyes and smiled happily.   
  
"COME ON KYOKI! YOU WANTED ANOTHER WOMAN? WELL HERE I AM! WHATCHA WAITING FOR? GET ON WITH IT! GIVE THIS MAN AND THIS WOMAN BACK WHAT THEY LOVE SO DEARLY. YOU GOT ME?"  
  
Time stopped. Aishin closed her eyes. She didn't see her life flashing before her as some claim happens when you know you are about to die, but rather, her life was being played before her as if it were a movie, a long beautiful movie. No she wasn't going to die... just sleep, sleep and dream of her love for all eternity. As she drifted off she saw her mother, her father, Usagi, and Mamoru. And Mamoru. And... Mamoru.   
  
--FIN 


	8. Epilogue

A Deafening Scilence  
Epilogue  
G  
  
"Chiba-san?"   
  
Mamoru jolted from his seat in the waiting room and immediately stood up.   
"Hai, yes? I am he."   
  
The young nurse giggled a bit. "The doctor says that you can go in now."   
Mamoru nodded and practically bolted down the hall and into the room in which his wife had just given birth to their child.   
  
Once inside he saw quite possibly the most wonderful sight a man can see: his wife with their newborn baby in her arms.  
  
Usagi turned to face her husband and smiled. "Whatcha doing all the way over there, baby?" she asked teasingly.  
  
Mamoru shrugged and smiled one of those stupid endearing smiles only a new father can express. He walked over and knelt beside the bed where his wife and baby lay. He looked from her to the baby back to her again.  
  
"Can, can I hold..."   
  
Usagi shook her head. "No, first you have to put an apron on." She pointed to the nurse standing next to him with a hospital apron draped over one arm and a folder underneath the other.  
  
"Oh..." Mamoru said, still a bit overwhelmed, taking the apron from her and putting it on.   
  
The nurse bent over, picked up the child and placed it in Mamoru's waiting arms.   
  
Mamoru couldn't breath. He couldn't move. He could do nothing but stare at the newborn infant in his arms, his newborn infant.   
  
"Is it a boy, or a..."   
  
"Girl." Usagi finished for him.  
  
"A girl..." he repeated. He looked back at the baby. He marveled at how something that small could be alive. She was not quite the length of his arm.   
He let out an odd laugh that was mixed with tears,   
  
"So this is what a woman would give her life for." He looked down at Usagi, whose bright smile had gone dim for the moment as she turned away.  
  
"Excuse me, Sir, Ma'am?" Mamoru and Usagi, snapping out of their sorrowful trance, turned to face the nurse who had just addressed them. The nurse continued,   
  
"Sorry for interrupting, but do you have a name for the little darling?" She smiled at them expectantly.  
  
"Aishin." They both said at once.   
  
The nurse chucked. "You've obviously discussed this. Um, Aishin Chiba? That right? Any middle name?"   
  
The young couple looked at each other dumbfounded. They hadn't said so much as a word of what they would name the child, and without even knowing what word was coming out of their mouths they both spoke a name they had not spoken in four months.   
  
Mamoru was the first to be brought back. He looked at the nurse and then back to little Aishin.   
  
"Irojiro. Aishin Irojiro Chiba."   
  
The bubbly nurse hummed the name as she wrote it down on a piece of paper and walked away down the hall.  
  
"Mamo-chan..." Usagi whispered.  
  
"I know, but I've been trying to think of ways to honor Aishin, and I think this is it. We can keep Ai-chan's spirit alive through our own daughter, the person she gave up her life for."   
  
Usagi smiled and propped her head up on her arm. "You loved her, didn't you?"   
Mamoru gave her a confused glance. "Of course I loved her, she was my best friend."   
  
Usagi shook her head. "She loved you, you know. Not the way you loved her, but the way I love you."   
  
Mamoru looked back his child. "I know." He whispered. "If I could have loved her that way, I would have. Believe me, I tried, but I couldn't think of her as anything more than my sister. Then we met and well... I fell in love with you."   
  
He handed the baby back to her to feed. He knelt down, kissed her brow and placed his head on her stomach.   
  
"Mamo-chan. There is something I have to tell you. That I didn't before."   
  
He raised his head curiously, "What's that?"   
  
Usagi sighed and placed the baby where it would be comfortable. "During the switch between me and Aishin down there in Ky-," she swallowed, "HIS lab, just before he hit the self-detonation key, I saw Aishin in my place in that glass tube. She said something to me in that instant that we touched."   
  
"She, she did?" he asked, stuttering.   
  
Usagi closed her eyes. "Mm Hmm."   
  
Mamoru swallowed. "Nani? What?"  
  
"She said, 'Take good care of him.'"  
  
"Take good care of him." He repeated. He stood and traced the lines of his child's face.  
  
"Mamo-chan?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you too, baby. I love you too."  
  
Mamoru bent down and kissed his wife as Aishin slept peacefully.   
  
  
  
So yeah, this thing is mad old. As I said, almost two years. But it was my first complete story so I'm still proud of it and love it. Thanks for reading and if you want to, you can read my current stuff. My still pending: Love Labours Lost, and my completed: Sk8er Boi. Arigatoo gozaimasu! 


End file.
